Cost of Living Comparison Between Medford, OR and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medford, OR and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,460 in Medford, OR versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,648 in Medford, OR versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,835 in Medford, OR versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Medford, OR is roughly 88% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medford, OR is 78% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$11.96 MX$203

64.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$47.38 MX$804

27.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 $10.21

$11.75 MX$199

-13.11%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$4.12 MX$70.0

16.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.40 MX$23.74

74.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.91 MX$15.48

63.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.21 MX$54.4

82.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.33 $6.33

$7.07 MX$120

-10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.68 MX$28.44

-30.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.15 MX$36.48

67.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.77 MX$30.10

103.95%

Eggs

$3.54 $3.54

$2.82 MX$47.76

25.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.44 $21.44

$9.20 MX$156

133.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.23 MX$157

7.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$12.64 MX$214

21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.95 MX$50.1

36.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.58 MX$26.79

-3.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.22 MX$37.70

135.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.36 MX$40.09

126.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.99 MX$33.81

38.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.98 MX$33.58

48.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.24 MX$21.04

110.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$1.21 MX$20.55

158.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.99 $8.99

$4.60 MX$78.1

95.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 $13.33

$10.52 MX$178

26.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.69 MX$28.70

-0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.77 MX$47.06

29.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.60 MX$10.22

236.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.73 $40.73

$29.70 MX$504

37.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$5.24 MX$88.8

-44.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.65 MX$61.9

-32.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.52 $44.52

$5.78 MX$98.1

670.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.54 MX$26.09

-22.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.9K $33.9K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

48.59%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.7K $24.7K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-4.42%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$209 $209

$90.7 MX$1,538

130.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$72.1 $72.1

$25.19 MX$427

186.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.0 $76.0

$31.75 MX$539

139.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.65 $27.65

$68.8 MX$1,167

-59.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$11.40 $11.40

$4.86 MX$82.5

134.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$995 $995

$226 MX$3,828

340.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,966 $7,966

$4,194 MX$71.1K

89.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 $56.9

$47.38 MX$804

20.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.82 $37.82

$43.45 MX$737

-12.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$80.2 MX$1,361

36.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$91.4 MX$1,550

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$1,086 MX$18.4K

21.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 $1,126

$409 MX$6,933

175.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 $1,891

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-4.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 $1,941

$1,281 MX$21.7K

51.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,999 $2,999

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-25.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,080 $3,080

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-54.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,600 $3,600

$773 MX$13.1K

365.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

11.45

-45.85%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medford, OR: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,321 in Medford, OR and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medford, OR pays 366% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Medford, OR vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $278 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medford, OR vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Medford, OR. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 366% higher in Medford, OR, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,321 in Medford, OR versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Medford, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $60.0 in Medford, OR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,460 in Medford, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Medford, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,305 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Medford, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.